Evaporative cooler pad frame construction



Jan. 29, 1963 A. D. GOETTL 3,075,750

EVAPORATIVE COOLER PAD FRAME CONSTRUCTION INVENTOR. ADAM D. GOETTL AgentJan. 29, 1963 A. D. GOET'II'L EVAPORATIVE COOLER PAD FRAME CONSTRUCTIONFiled July 7, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TOR. ADAM D. GOETTL AgentFIG.4.

Jan. 29, 1963 A. D. GOETTL EVAPORATIVE COOLER PAD FRAME CONSTRUCTION-Filed Jxily 7, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F l G. 7.

'I'IIIIIII'IIIA I I S l 9 INVENTOR. ADAM D. GOE TTL W 6QQW Agent t 4 r 3W 25%- 3 f? g? I Q f s 9 ll see. c the atcnt r the mm from the line 2-2of FIG. 1 showing parts and portions 3.tl75,75tl in elevation tofacilitate the illustration EVAPQRATEVE CGOLER PAD FRAME FIG. 3 is afragmentary, sectional View taken from the CQNSTRUCTEQN This inventionrela'es to an evaporative cooler pad frame construction and moreparticularly to an evaporative cooler pad frame construction havingnovel features for removably supporting an evaporative cooler pad inspaced relation to air inlet louvers of an evaporative cooler wherebywater which gravitates through the evaporative cooler pad does notcontact the louvers and permit them to become encrusted with mineralsalts.

In the operation of evaporative coolers Water is elevated to the upperportions of evaporative cooler pads by a pump or water p essurewhereupon the water is distributed over the upper surface of the pad andpermitted to gravitate downwardly therethrough. A blower is usuallyprovided to force air through an evaporative cooler pad and the airenters the cooler through a louvered plate in the side wall thereofpreliminary to its passage through the pad. in conventional evaporativecoolers the pad is placed adjacent or contiguous to the louvered plateand water passing downwardly through the pad wets the louvers of theplate. Minerals in the water collect on the louvers of plate and form athick crust which eventually reduces air flow efficiency through thelouvers and also causes an undesirable appearance of the louversexternally of the cooler.

It has been a problem to provide an evaporative cooler pad frameconstruction which readily permits the pads to be removed and yetoperated in spaced relation with a louveredL plate whereby the platedoes not become encrusted with mineral salts from Water passingdownwartly through the evaporative cooler pad adjacent thereto.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a.novel evaporative cooler pad frame construction wherein an evaporativecooler pad is readily removable from an evaporative cooler and whereinthe pad is maintained in spaced relation hip with an air inlet louverplate thereby preventing the plate from becoming encrusted with mineralsalts during operation of the evaporatire cooler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel evaporative coolerpad frame construction wherein a trough and pad retaining screens arearranged in a unitary assembly with an evaporative cooler pad.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for removablyretaining an evaporative cooler pad and trough assembly in the frame ofan evaporative cooler.

Another object of the invention is to prevent louver plates at the outersides of evaporative coolers from becoming encrusted with mineral salts.

Another object of the invention is to provide an evaporative cooler padframe construction which maintains an evaporative cooler pad unitaryassembly with a water distributor whereby the entire assembly may beremoved from the frame of an evaporative cooler for maintenance serviceand pad replacement.

Further objects and advanta es of the invention may be apparent from thefollowing specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings inwhich:

PEG. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view of an evaporativecooler showing an evaporative cooler pad frame construction of thepresent invention installed therein.

PEG. 2 is a fragmentary, plan, sectional view taken line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

' H6. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view of an 'evaporativecooler showing the modified form of an evaporative cooler pad frameconstruction in accordance with the present invention.

5 is a fragmentary, plan, sectional view taken from the line 55 of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional View of a further modifiedform of an evaporative cooler pad frame construction in accordance withthe present invention showing parts and portions in elevation tofacilitate the illustration.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken from the line 77 of FIG.6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken from the line 5-8 of FIG.6 and FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, sectional View taken from the line 99 ofFIG. 6.

As shown in HQ. 1 of the drawings an evaporative cooler sump ll) isdisposed to receive water which drains from evaporative cooler padspositioned thereabove. The sump it? supports corner frame elements 12 ofan evaporative cooler frame. These corner frame elements are providedwith vertical recess tracks 14- which receive flanged edges 16 of alouver plate 15 at one outer side of an evaporative cooler. As shown inFIG. 1 of the drawing an upper edge 2% of the louver plate 18 isdisposed inwardly of a top skirt 22, of an evaporative cooler wherebythe upper portions of the flanges 16 are retained in the tracks Thelower edge 2 of the louver plate 18 is disposed inwardly of the sump panl8 and is provided with a folded portion terminating in a hook shapedmember 26 which is hooked over a normally upper edge 25 of the sump panill. Thus, the louver plate 18 is supported in the side wall of aconventional evaporative cooler frame.

The louver plate is provided with open louvers 39 through which air maypass inwardly into the interior of an evaporat e cooler toward aforaminous evaporatiye cooler pad 32. This pad 32 may be made of woodexcelsior or other suitable material and is provided with an inner layer3 2- of fine glass fibers or other suitable material which will act as afilter to catch dust, insects and other foreign matter therebypreventing it from being carried in the air stream passing through thepad. The pad 32 and filter 3- 3 are contiguous with each other andretained between foraminous pad retainers 36 and 33. These pad retainers36 and 38 are Wire mesh screen structures having inwardly projectingmembers 49 and 42 respectively which extend into the pad and verticallysupport the same between the retainers as and 38. These pad retainersare provided with vertical bars 44 and 46, respectively, and horizontalbars 48 and 59, respectively. These bars are spot Welded together andthe projecting members 4% and d2 are welded at the juncture of thevertical and horizontal bars thereby providing rigid durable padsupports. The pad retainer 36 is provided with an uppermost horizontalbar 52 which is pivotally retained in a hook shaped clip channel portion54- integral with one side of a Water distributor trough as .above thepad 32. The opposite side of the trough 56 is provided with anotherhool: shaped portion 58 which pivotally retains a horizontal bar as atthe upper edge of the pad retainer 36.

The trough 56 may be molded of plastic or may be made of sheet metal ifdesired. The upper horizontal bars 52 and 6% of the pad retainers 36 and38 are pivotally retained in the hook shaped clip portions 54 and 58 anddue to the resilience of these hook shaped portions 5d and 53 the bars52 and 643 may be forced thereinto by lateral deflection of the hookshaped portions 54 and 53. Thus, these horizontal bars 52 and 653 aresnapped into the hook shaped clips 54 and 5S and are hingedly supportedthereby.

The lower ends of the pad retainer screen 36 and 38 are provided withhorizontal bars 62 and 64, respectively, which are engaged .and held byhook shaped portions 66 and 68, respectively, of a bottom member 70 atthe lower end of the pad 32. This member 70 is substantially channelshaped and provided with openings 72 therein to provide for drainage ofwater downwardly away from the pad 32. Secured to the bottom member 70is an air baffle 74 which extends into close proximity to one of thelouver vanes 39 in order to minimize the passage of air between thelouvers 3t) and the pad 32 at the outer lower portion thereof.

The upper and lower bars 60 and 64, respectively, of the pad retainerscreen 38 form trunnions at their ends which are disposed in slots 76and 78, respectively, of sheet metal plates 89 which extend inwardlyfrom the recessed troughs 1d of the cooler frame corner elements 12 asshown best in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing. It will be seen that thetrunnion ends of the bars 663 and 64 project a short distance throughthe plates 80 and that these plates are provided with joggled portions82 which deflected outwardly from the pad 38 so that the trunnion.endsof the bars 69 and '64 may be cleared from the slots '76 and 78.

It will be seen that the louver plate 18 as hereinbefore described mustbe raised vertically whereupon the upper vedge 26 of the louver platepasses upwardly behind the skirt 22 while the vertical edges 16 rideupwardly in the tracks 14 until the lower edge 24 of the louver plateclears the upper edge 23 of the sump pan it The louver plate 18 may thenat its lower edge be moved outwardly and downwardly until the upper edge2d thereof clears the skirt 22 whereupon the louver plate 18 may beremoved from the side of the evaporative cooler. This provides accessfor the removal of the evaporative cooler pad assembly which includesthe trough 56, pad retainer screens 36 and 38 together with the pad 32and filter 3d.

The louver plate 18 is provided with a baflie 84 at its upper edge whichis fitted adjacent to the hook shaped clip portion 54 of the trough 56to prevent leakage of air between the pad 32 and the louver plate 13.This baffle is removed together with the louver plate 18 when it isdisassembled from the cooler frame as hereinbefore described. The baffle74 is carried by the bottom member 70 of the evaporative cooler padassembly as hereinbefore described.

As shown in PEG. 1 of the drawings the inner edges 86 of the louvervanes 30 are spaced from the foraminous pad retainer screen 36 therebypreventing any of the 'excelsior or other material of the pad 32 fromengaging these inner edges 86. Thus, water which passes downwvardlythrough the pad 32 does not contact the louver vanes 30 whereby they aremaintained in dry, clean condition. This spacing of the pad from thelouver vanes prevents them from getting wet and accumulating deposits-of mineral salts which are normally carried in water used to wet thepad 32.

In operation Water is delivered into the trough 56 by means of a conduithaving water therein under pressure and the water drains downwardly fromthe bottom pad 32 does not contact the louver vanes 30 due to a spacedrelation of the edges and the pad retainer frame 36 as hereinbeloredescribed. The excess water passes downwardly through openings 72 andinto the sump pan Ill from which it is recirculated by a pump or fromwhich it may be drained oil as desired.

When from time to time it is desired to replace the pad 32 and filter 34the louver plate 13 is removed as hereinbefore described and theevaporative cooler pad assembly is also removed from the plates of theevaporative cooler frame as hereinbefore described. The bottom member 76of the evaporative cooler pad assembly is disengaged from the bars 62and 64 by forcing them together and removing them from thehooked shapedportion 66 and 63 of the bottom member 70. This operation causes slightcompression of the pad 32 and filter 3d and when the bottom member 70 isthus removed from the bars 62 and 64 the retainer screens 36 and 33 maybe hingedly moved apart so that the projecting bars 40 and 4-2; of theretainers 36 and 33 may be disengaged trom the pad 32 and filter 34thereby permitting their removal from the retainers 36 and 38.

A fresh pad and filter may be inserted between the retainers 36 and 38whereupon they may be pivoted toward each other about the axis of theirbars 52 and '69 which are hingedly and pivotally mounted in the hookshaped portions 54 and 53 of the trough 56. When the retainers 36 and 38are pivoted toward each other the bars 4i and 42 thereof are forced topierce the pad 32 and filter 34 and extend thereinto. When the retainerscreens 36 and 38 are forced together at opposite sides of the pad 32and filter 34 the bottom member 7% at its clip portions 66 and 68 isengaged with the lower bars 62 and 64 of the retainer screens 36 and 38and compression of the pad 32 and filter 34 maintains the bars 62 and 64in engagement in the hook shaped clip portions 66 and 68 of the bottommember 76'.

in the modification as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 a pad frame carries alouver plate 92, a trough 94, a pad 96 and supporting retainer screens'98 and 168. This entire assembly carried by the pad frame do isremovable *from the cooler frame elements 12 in a similar mannersupporting assembly.

Folded over the upper edge of the louver plate 92 is a plate 102 whichis formed to provide the trough 94 disposed above the pad 96. Integralwith the hook 26 is a bottom member 164 which is folded over the loweredge of the louver plate 92 to form a bottom structure for supportingthe pad 96. As shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings vertical edges of thelouver plate 92 are folded and extend backwardly into side plates 1% ofthe pad frame 96. Secured on the inner sides of these side plates Hi6are angle members 168 which are spaced backwardly from the edges oflouvers 312 similar to the louvers 3t). hereinbefore described. Engagingthe angles 198 is a pad retaining screen 114 disposed in spaced relationwith the edges 11% of the louver vanes 112. inwardly of the retainer 114is the pad 96 and a contiguous filter layer 116.

A retainer screen 118 engages the filter layer 116 in spacedrelationship to the retainer screen 114 and each opposite edge of theretainer screen 118 is held by a flange 120 of each side plate 99.

' The retainer screen 118 is held by a conventional clip bar 122 havinghooks 124 on its opposite ends which are engaged in openings 126 in theside plates 99:. The pad retaining screens lid and 118 are provided withhorizontal .bars 119 and 121 which extend into the pad 96 and filter 116and these horizontal bars are secured '.to' the vertical and horizontalbars, respectively, of the pad retaining screenslid and 11-3.

In operation the evaporative cooler pad frame construction as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5 prevents the louver vanes 112 from becoming encrusted dueto the spacing of the pad 96 therefrom by the screen retainer 114 whichis held in the pad frame 90 by the angle members 108.

When it is desired to replace the pad 96 and filter 116 the louver plate92 together with the pad frame 96, trough 94, pad 96 and screen frames98 and 1118 are all removed in one unit as hereinbefore describedwhereupon the hooks 124 of the bars 122 are disengaged from the openings126 whereupon the retainer screen 118 may be removed permittingreplacement of the pad 96 and filter 116.

In the modification as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, inclusive, of the drawingsa louver plate 13% is removably sup ported in the cooler frame insubstantially the same manner as the louver plate 18 disclosed in FIGS.1 to 3 of the drawings. The louver plate 130 is provided with louvervanes 132 having inner edges 134 and the upper edge of the louver plateis engaged by a folded member 136 having an integral extending plateportion 138 which interconnects side plates 14d integral with foldededges 142 which correspond with the folded edges 16 of the structureshown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings.

Connected with the louver plate 130 at its lower edge is the bottomplate 144 which is folded over the lower edge of the louver plate 131and integral with the hook 26. The bottom plate is provided withopenings 146 to permit drainage of water from the evaporative cooler padinto the sump 16.

Positioned between the side plates 141} is a pad assembly including apair of spaced plates 14-8, which are contiguous with the plates 140and, on which a trough 15th is supported. The trough 151) is carried byflanges 152 at the upper portions of the plates 148. These plates 148are provided with spaced flanges 154- and 156 adjacent to which retainerscreens 158 and 160, respectively, are positioned. These retainerscreens 158 and 169 support an evaporative pad 162 and a filter pad 164between the plates 148. These plates 148 are provided with fixed pins166 which project through slots 168 in the side plates 141 as shown bestin FIGS. 6 and 9 of the drawings. The opposite ends of trough 15th restin slots 1'76 in the side plates 14-13 as shown best in FEGS. 6 and 7 ofthe drawings. The trough 15% is provided with water outlet nozzles 172which permit water to drain downwardly through the pad 162. Hook bars174 interconnect the flanges 156 and these hook bars 174 are similar tothe bars 122 hereinbefore described in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5 ofthe drawings.

In operation the louver plate 36} when removed from the cooler framecarries with it the side plates 14% in which are secured the plates 148,trough 151i, pad 162, filter 164 and the pad retaining screens 158 and161 When removed from the evaporative cooler frame the plates 14% may beremoved from the plates 146 by spreading the plates 141) apart to permitthe ends of the pins 166 to clear the slots 168. The trough 156 at itsopposite ends may then be removed from the slots 17% in the plates 140.

The pads 160 and filter 1411 may be then replaced as hereinbeforedescribed in connection with the replacement of the pads shown in FIGS.4 and 5 of the drawing.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications of the present invention may be resorted to in any mannerlimited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an evaporative cooler pad frame construction the combination of:an evaporative cooler frame having vertically disposed spaced pad frameplates; a water trough overlying a space between said plates; a pair offoraminous pad supports below said trough and disposed in spacedrelationship with each other; one of said pad supports hinged to saidtrough; a foraminous pad between said pad supports and below said watertrough, means holding the lower ends of said pad supports in engagementwith opposite sides of said pad; and means removably supporting saidtrough, pad supports and pad on and be tween said pad frame plates.

2. In an evaporative cooler pad frame construction the combination of:an evaporative cooler frame having vertically disposed spaced pad frameplates; a water trough overlying a space between said plates; foraminouspad supports hinged to and depending from said trough and disposed inspaced relation to each other; a foraminous pad between said padsupports; and below said water trough; means holding the lower ends ofsaid pad supports in engagement with opposite sides of said pad; andmeans removably supporting said pad supports and pad on and between saidpad frame plates; and a louvered plate supported on said cooler frameoutwardly of said pad in spaced relation thereto whereby water whichgravitates from said trough through said pad does not contact saidlouvered plate.

3. In an evaporative cooler pad frame construction the combination of:an evaporative cooler frame having vertically disposed spaced pad frameplates; a water trough overlying a space between said plates; foraminouspad supports hinged to and depending from said trough and disposed inspaced relation to each other; a foraminous pad between said padsupports and below said water trough; means holding the lower ends ofsaid pad supports in engagement with opposite sides of said pad; andmeans removably supporting said pad supports and pad on and between saidpad frame plates; and a louvered plate supported on said cooler frameoutwardly of said pad in spaced relation thereto whereby water whichgravitates from said trough through said pad does not contact saidlouvered plate, said foraminous pad supports being of wire meshconstruction and having trunnion portions, said frame plates havingopenings receiving said trunnions thereby supporting said pad in saidcooler frame.

4. In an evaporative cooler pad frame construction the combination of:an evaporative cooler frame; a pad frame in one side thereof; louvers inthe outer side of said pad frame; and a water distributor and padassembly removably mounted in said pad frame and spaced from saidlouvers, said assemlby comprising a pair of plates, spaced screens heldtherebetween; a foraminous pad between said screens and a waterdistributor supported on said plates and disposed above said foraminouspad, said pad frame having openings therein; and trunnions fixed to saidplates and disposed in said openings, said pad frame being of resilientmaterial whereby it may be deflected beyond the ends of said trunnions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,021,437 Walsh Nov. 19, 1935 2,137,905 Church et a1 Nov. 22, 19382,233,976 Essick Mar. 4, 1941 2,237,497 Munford Apr. 8, 1941 2,327,242Balcom Aug. 17, 1943 2,387,473 Spitzka Oct. 23, 1945 2,404,479 EssickJuly 23, 1946 2,608,396 Shapiro Aug. 26, 1952 2,637,540 Rowe May 5, 19530 Lemmon June 10, 1958 2,850,269 Bohanon Sept. 2, 1958 2,856,166 GoettlOct. 14, 1958

1. IN AN EVAPORATIVE COOLER PAD FRAME CONSTRUCTION THE COMBINATION OF:AN EVAPORATIVE COOLER FRAME HAVING VERTICALLY DISPOSED SPACED PAD FRAMEPLATES; A WATER TROUGH OVERLYING A SPACE BETWEEN SAID PLATES; A PAIR OFFORAMINOUS PAD SUPPORTS BELOW SAID TROUGH AND DISPOSED IN SPACEDRELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER; ONE OF SAID PAD SUPPORTS HINGED TO SAIDTROUGH; A FORAMINOUS PAD BETWEEN SAID PAD SUPPORTS AND BELOW SAID WATERTROUGH, MEANS HOLDING THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID PAD SUPPORTS IN ENGAGEMENTWITH OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PAD; AND MEANS REMOVABLY SUPPORTING SAIDTROUGH, PAD SUPPORTS AND PAD ON AND BETWEEN SAID PAD FRAME PLATES.